Progress Report

March 13-18, 2006 // CONSTRUCTION LOG #75

Contact phone numbers

Internet Phone:
New York: 315-279-6711
Toronto: 416-907-5758 // 416-461-2203

Costa Rica:
Cell: 506-305-3965
Land: 506-282-4142 Ext. 101

NOTE: the New York and Toronto numbers are "local calls" for people in the area codes; calls from outside the area code will be billed at the normal rate from the caller's area code to either the "315" or the "416" area code.

Pictures: no pictures

The STORY: Lita's 50th. Birthday party and closings.

CONSTRUCTION

Weather: boringly beautiful and sometimes windy.

Units: 119, 120, 121:

Units 119 is completely finished and 121 is in the final stages of cleaning and 120 not far behind. Both 121 and 120 will be finished next week and 121 furnished and occupied.

Landscaping: The new swimming pool gates are installed and painted. They look nice. We continue to focus on those areas of the garden that didn't take and are installing some irrigation systems which will help improve efficiency and the plants will benefit.

Electrical System Upgrade: some behind the scenes progress but at our end, nothing new.

Transition: Paul continues to demonstrate his experience and developing business integration systems and records keeping. From my perspective, this is a significant contribution and I can't be happier that he's picking it up and dealing with it competently.

Lockers and Locker House: installing the steel rebars and tying all the various structural elements together takes time but is absolutely necessary to produce a good finished product.

Marketing: The long term lease on 112 didn't pan out; they had too much furniture and needed a larger house. Too bad, as they looked like they would be great neighbors.

We closed on 117, 118, and 119 this week. We are preparing to close on 121,122, and 123 this next week.

We have a person from Chicago interested in purchasing a unit. He's trying to make up his mind which one he prefers.

Next Project

We met with the owner of the land we're interested in. Surprise, surprise, he's the same owner of the land immediately to the east of us. He had approached us 6+ mo. ago on the sale/purchase of that property but while I was interested and while his asking price was reasonable, it was too early and just too much land-we couldn't afford it.

We expect to meet with him again this week and to outline an offer to purchase. Since we have basically agreed on the terms, this will be more of a confirmation. We want to confirm the availability of water and electricity prior to making that offer and even though the offer would be conditional on confirming that availability, we want preliminary info. that it can subsequently be confirmed. In speaking with the City Engineer, we could be in a position to be moving dirt in about three months. This would dovetail nicely with the completion of work at Los Jardines.

We're beginning to talk about warehousing our building materials, equipment, and tools. Warehousing will take the form of a old trailer or a shipping container.

OUR LIVES

We had on site, a salt-of-the-earth Midwestern guy and his Columbian wife staying on site. They were here only a couple weeks and were absolutely great neighbors. They participated in our parties, we went out to dinners several times, he baked several desserts which were simple but delicious. He and his wife were interesting people; we'll miss both of them.

I developed and distributed invitations to Lita's 5hth. birthday party. Saturday I spent shopping and cooking curried squash soup, roast beef, and pork. Sunday I got worried that I hadn't cook enough so went out for 4 chickens and another larger piece of pork. I had asked the maestro de obra's (site superintendent's) wife to cook black bean soup. We had 7 loaves of oven fresh San Francisco sour dough bread, 4 gallons of soup, a potent fruit punch, fresh fruit-pineapple, honeydew, cantaloupe, and watermelon along with two fantastic deserts and coffee, Writing Sunday night, I find nothing left. We had around 50-55 people, played games which humbled us all and Lita recruited some guys to sing and dance the hula hula. Lita got lots of wonderful gifts, lots of perfumes, creams, purses, exotic flowers, an orchid, etc. I think she had a really good party and had fun and everyone else did as well. I think it is something she will remember.

> From my part, I organized it well, the two girls I hired to help prepared the food, serve, and cleane up made a big difference as well as everyone chipping in with the balloons, music, karaoke, and yes, I had lots of help tasting the punch which was actually really easy to make-guaro, rum, grapefruit juice, apple juice, and orange juice. Add a few hibiscus flowers to all and.

We have another friend from the marina arriving tomorrow. Joe and Phil who arrived on Saturday will leave again on Tuesday.

Brian, Lita, Hugo and irreverent Vicka, the pigeon toed parrot.

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